Two people were arrested for allegedly stealing vehicle parts from the parking areas with the help of minors. Police also rescued three children, aged 8, 14 and 15, respectively, from the clutches of the accused.
Cops said Irfaan Khan and Irshaad Khan, both scrap dealers and residents of Ghaziabad, used to lure minors on the pretext of drugs and once they became addicted, the duo would ask them to steal vehicle or vehicle parts.
The eight-year-old child has been handed over to his parents, while the two other minors were sent to the juvenile home after production before the juvenile justice board.
A senior police officer said that some cops spotted the minors stealing vehicle parts from the seized vehicles kept on an empty plot near the Nandgram police station on Tuesday. A few cops followed the minors and found them handing over the vehicle parts to the two scrap dealers. Then the police arrested Irfaan and Irshaad.
“The accused told us that they used minors as police usually don’t take action against children. The eight-year-old boy joined the gang a few days ago and the scrap dealers lured him on the pretext of chocolates and new clothes. Otherwise they get the minors addicted to drugs,” ACP Alok Dubey said.
“The other two minors joined the gang three months ago. They had gone to Irfaan for a job but he asked them to steal vehicle parts for money, food and drugs,” said another officer.
Irfaan and Irshaad were booked under sections 380 (theft), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of IPC. .
Also Read:
Reuters first reported last week the push by South Korea and some automakers that asked the Treasury Department to allow use of the commercial electric vehicle tax credit to boost consumer EV access as well as for the purchase of ride share and rental car vehicles.